1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a bagging machine for bagging organic materials such as silage, compost, grains, etc., wherein the tunnel of the bagging machine may be collapsed to reduce the width thereof for transport or shipping purposes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Agricultural feed bagging machines have been employed for several years to pack or bag silage or the like into elongated plastic bags. In recent years, the bagging machines have also been used to pack or back compost material and grain into the elongated plastic bags. Two of the earliest bagging machines are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,687,061 and 4,046,068. In the prior art bagging machines, silage or the like is supplied to the forward or intake end of the bagging machine and is fed to a rotor or other compression means which conveys the silage into a tunnel on which the bag is positioned so that the bag is filled. Applicant has received several patents directed to agricultural feed bagging machines, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,295,554; 5,297,377; 5,355,659; 5,367,860; 5,396,753; 5,398,736; 5,408,809; 5,408,810; 5,421,142; 5,425,220; 5,463,849; 5,464,049; 5,517,806; 5,671,594; 5,775,069; 5,784,865; 5,799,472; 5,857,313; 5,894,713; 5,899,247; 5,904,031; 5,960,612; and 6,009,692.
Over a period of time, the size of the bagging machines has dramatically increased with the tunnels thereof being of a width sufficient to accommodate bags having a 12-foot diameter. The large width of the tunnel presents a problem when the bagging machine is being transported on public roads which normally limit those widths to approximately 102 inches. Such width restrictions greatly reduce the mobility of the larger machines.
Applicant is aware of U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,102 which issued on May 30, 1995. Although the '102 patent mentions that the tunnel width may be reduced for transporting the bagging machine from one location to another, primarily for overseas shipment, it is not believed that the '102 patent teaches a convenient means for reducing the tunnel width since the '102 patent apparently requires that the wheels somehow be raised up beneath the machine to reduce the width between the wheels of the machine. Further, the '102 patent seems to be lacking in a convenient means for reducing the width of the tunnel. Additionally, the machine of the '102 patent is quite different than the machine described herein. In the '102 patent machine, the auger which conveys the material rearwardly slants up from the front of the machine towards the rear of the machine which places the rearward end of the conveyor auger high in the tunnel. Further, the two sides of the tunnel in the '102 patent move independently of one another. Additionally, the tunnel of the '102 patent is not expanded or contracted as one integrated unit, including the top.
Manufacturers of plastic bags for use with agricultural bagging machines do not have an exact standard for overall (diameter) dimensions, and sizes can vary +/−10%. Also, the elasticity (or strength per allowable stretch tolerance) varies among manufacturers, some allowing more stretch than others. Such variances result in the inability to fill the bags to the fullest with all types of materials, densities, fiber lengths, etc., with the proper tension/stress on the bag skin.